From director Makoto Shinkai, the innovative mind behind Voices of a Distant Star and 5 Centimeters Per Second, comes a beautiful masterpiece about time, the thread of fate, and the hearts of two young souls. The day the stars fell, two lives changed forever. High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other. Yet, somehow, it works. They build a connection and communicate by leaving notes, messages, and more importantly, an imprint. When a dazzling comet lights up the night’s sky, something shifts, and they seek each other out wanting something more-a chance to finally meet. But try as they might, something more daunting than distance prevents them. Is the string of fate between Mitsuha and Taki strong enough to bring them together, or will forces outside their control leave them forever separated?

Combining rare case of romance fantasy with sci-fi catastrophe as background in one incredibly cute anime, Your Name comes with amazing details to tell the complicated plot without ever losing the emotional core. It’s a blend you’ve never seen before in the genre. (from TIFF-JP 2016) Rating: ★★★★★

Your Name begins like your typical body swap comedy. Makoto Shinkai introduces the characters in a fun, hilarious way. But once the twist kicks in, nothing will ever be the same. Your Name turns into an emotional roller coaster that never fail to surprise you. Rating: ★★★★★

Started off as a sweet, quirky gender-swappin drama Kimi no Na wa gradually turns into a heartthrobbing, splendid story of distant love. So distant it’s untouchable, but in the end, it shows its true nature: it’s mysterious, enormous, and majestic. Rating: ★★★★★